"Palais de Steff" has arrived and is a work in progress.
So come on in...grab a cocktail... or the nearest available houseboy and make yourself at home...feel free to wander about or just plonk yourself down and stay a while...
Princess says "Hello and Welcome"!...

Saturday, December 31, 2011

And read all about my "Tree Change" friends and fellow boggers and their epic challenge of moving to the country... You can also drop by and wish us all a happy Nude year.... We may well even be sober enough to respond!

Here's to a wondermentful 2012...

To good friends, good fun and Alcohol!

Let the New Year Unfold....

bottoms up Darlings!

update darlings...princess is in the pond as we speak!meet Prince Charming... his cinderella is in the kitchen awaiting release from her bonds....

Friday, December 30, 2011

Two families of Blue Fairy Wrens came to visit and show off their numerous offspring...

There were two males and each had a harem of two or three females with a gaggle of about twelve baby birds between them...

The Males are quite the showy type with their vibrant blue plumage...

While the Females are more demure in their appearance and plumage...

(Princess (unusually) didn't have her camera at the ready... So takes this opportunity to thank Mr Smissen for his wonderful close ups)

Their visit brought to mind a lovely table cloth that Princess keeps tucked away in the linen closet and brings out on special occasions...

It is a very old hand embroidered tablecloth that was given to Princess many years ago in an incomplete state.It is a square tablecloth depicting Blue Wrens in a circular garden scene... and when it was given to me several of the wrens were unfinished and/or incompletely stitched. I have no idea of it's true age as it was given to me by one of the Empresses friends. The cloth belonged to her friends mother and was never completed due to her mothers eyesight deteriorating.

Not only did the birds need to be finished but so did the crocheted edge of the cloth.

At that stage I had never done any sort of hand embroidery and it was not until several years later that I taught myself this skill and completed the tablecloth as pictured here...following are several varying degrees of close up shots to give you a good look at the stitching involved.

And here are some close ups of the crochet edging...

for my first effort at hand embroidery I think that I did a pretty good job...

And tomorrow morning I'll be out in the in the back yard with my camera poised to see if I can't get some of my own shots of these beautiful and vibrant little birds...

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

First thing this morning... Princess took the Empress to visit her GP to receive the verdict of pre Christmas scans and tests...

Well darlings... The news is spectacular!

The tumour identified is BENIGN!

There is no further evidence of a primary lesions (Cancer) anywhere throughout her system!

It is such a relief for all of us... Particularly the Empress...

Just a referral to an orthopaedic consultant for a second opinion and discussion of treatment options (if any) and future management...

We spent the past few days having a wonderful time with family and a succession of good friends calling in over the Christmas break. Fabulous food, Champagne, and much merriment was had by all...

The Empress and I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you wonderful bloggy friends...For your kind words of support, love, thoughts and prayers over the past few days... your kindness has been a blessing to us both.

The Empress is a woman of very firm and unwavering faith and has not been phased either way by the outcome. Her strength staggers me sometimes...

The GP commented today on how he was taken aback by her initial reaction to the news that she may have cancer... as her reaction was one of almost "No nonsense" relief at the time.

"Well it's better to know what is happening... Just so I know what it is that I'm dealing with"....

And today's response to the Dr's comment...

"What were you expecting? I wasn't about to become a blithering idiot... I have better things to do than wail about in a doctors rooms on the news that I might or might not have cancer... Besides, I have God in my life and either way... He's got it sorted!

I'm in a win/ win situation"

I can't say that I'm not relieved at the news nor can I say that I am surprised at the Empresses reaction...

Friday, December 23, 2011

Princess is feeling a little flat and numb and is finding it a little difficult to maintain some Christmas cheer this year...

Over the past few months the Empress has been increasingly experiencing what to her are very strange things.

Major panic attacks with lots of anxiety. Poor sleep, feeling tired all the time and headaches which were usually put down to being "a bit dehydrated" or "I must be coming down with something"...

She has experienced several episodes of loss of balance and her walking gait has changed considerably.

Her memory for recent events is becoming patchy often repeating the same conversation that she has had with someone recently to me several times throughout the course of the day, looking quite taken aback when I have said to her that she has already told me the story a couple of times already...

And her response is usually a perplexed "Oh have I?" and then another hour or so later repeating the same story.

Her usual Christmas preparation of cakes, puddings, biscuits and treats became a series of almost disasters one after the other this year... Over cooking. Burning biscuits and shortbread...Leaving out or miscalculating amounts of ingredients. Things that she would normally have managed in a breeze, now reducing her to tears...

There have also been episodes of misplaced accounts/ cards and Christmas gifts that result in a frantic searches throughout the house only to discover, once I have been summoned to assist in the searching that, the missing item is in clear view placed on another bench or in a different cupboard to the one being searched through....

Princess is finding these changes all to be a little bit confronting...

Wednesday I took her to her GP for some results on a recent heart monitor study. The results from that were good news. Nothing out of the ordinary and no need for a pacemaker or medication which were some of the options discussed if the results were not good.

We got talking with the Dr about some of the other things that have been happening with regard to the Empresses memory and emotional lability and resultant increased levels of anxiety... the GP suggested that we get some regular blood tests done and ordered a CT Brain scan and to fill out a questionnaire regarding mood levels looking at anxiety and depression symptoms stating that there was no rush and that it might take a while to get an appointment over Christmas.

Thinking that getting an appointment for a CT scan might take some time... particularly over the Christmas New year period... we phoned to arrange a booking when we got home after going about our regular business and got an appointment for today! Almost a miracle!

Mid morning I took the Empress for her CT scan then we continued with our planned shopping trip.

On arriving home there was a message from the GP Clinic. Could the Empress attend the clinic as soon a possible as the Dr had some results to discuss with her.

We phoned the clinic back and were asked to come in immediately

The news was not good.

The CT shows that the Empress has a Lytic Lesion of the skull. In lay-man's terms... a cancerous growth located in the skull bone over her left eye. The GP very gently went on to explain that these types of lesions can sometimes be benign but are more often secondary to a primary cancer. And therefore the Empress will

need to undergo further tests to investigate the cause.

Immediately we were sent to book the Empress in to have a regular chest x-ray, mammogram, and bone scans.

Again... thinking that booking appointments might take time and maybe even having to wait a week or two.

How wrong was I?

The Chest x-ray and Mammogram were taken on the spot! We have a booking for the bone scans at 8.30 in the morning tomorrow!

some times things just go right... But for me...it all seems to be happening too quickly to adjust to.

The Empress... in some ways... seems quite relieved... While I drove us home with our collective heads spinning in shock she suddenly announced...

"Well Darling at least I know now that it's not just all in my head!"

and laughing added...

"And I don't think a pacemaker is going to cure it... do you?"

"And I don't want to let the rest of the family know what's happening until we know more... I don't want to go spoiling their Christmas... the news can wait until after Christmas..."

Tonight the Empress had two of her very close friends call by and very much to my surprise...announced on their arrival...

"Princess... defrost those prawns I've been keeping for New Year we have guests for dinner... and while you're at it crack open one of those bottles of champagne in your fridge! (the Empress is usually a tea total) Tonight I feel like celebrating and I'm going to... while I can still enjoy it!...

We polished off one bottle and opened a second...

The prawns and salad... picked fresh from the vegie patch... were delicious

Good company with much laughter ensued over dinner... I think the Bupply helped...

You've got to Love a Woman with style!

That is my Mother.

We should have more results by next week...

In the meantime I intend spending Christmas with the Empress surrounded by family and the people that we love...

I truly hope that you can do the same with friends and family of your own...

Whatever the result.... I know that we are going to be in for one hell of a ride Darlings

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Yesterday... The Empress and I arose early and caught a train to the big smoke of Melbourne... to meet up with some friends for a Christmas luncheon...

The weather was delightful... and all the way down on the train the Empress kept saying to me how wonderful the Christmas Display in the foyer of the casino was... remembering having taken the grandchildren to see it several years back... So by the time we arrived we were both looking forward to seeing it...

And the water of Melbourne's famous Yarra River...almost sparkled in the sunshine... it was a lovely balmy summers day...

We strolled along South Bank Promenade outside the Casino...Enjoying the sights and sounds of the city... Even seeing a Helicopter land in the middle of the river (On the helipad)

And I did say that the water almost sparkled...

Until one took a closer look!....

Inside the Foyer of the Casino one entered almost complete Darkness...

As our eyes adjusted to the dimness... I said to the Empress... "Well... for a place that takes so much money off people... you would think they could at least pay their lighting bill"... And as our eyes adjusted in the dark... there stood before us... a partially lit Christmas tree...

They must have heard me... as suddenly.... The whole place lit up and came to almost life with a (rather sad) Mechanised Christmas entertainment for the masses.... or those hearty gamblers that remained and could see though their tears as they were now left too broke to enjoy a real Christmas...

An umbrella contraption in one corner opened to reveal... of all things...

a

Circus!

Really? At Christmastime????

With strange little dolls attempting to do some sort of acrobatic performance

And across in the other corner...

A Santa on a carousel surrounded by monkeys playing musical instruments???

It was all just a little too weird if you ask me... At one stage... some fairly daggy looking furred creatures which were meant to represent

a "Barrel of Monkey's" but looked much more like misplaced sloth's hung down from the ceiling.... I couldn't even bare to take a photo Darlings....

The Sloth/monkey rags were enough to give any decent child Christmas nightmares... And for goodness sake... How many of the little darlings would know what a "Barrel of Monkey's" was these days anyway... even if it jumped up and smacked them on the head.... I'm sure that I heard one of them weeping into their smart phone to what I presume was the animal protection agency...

"Yes ... come quickly.... They're putting all these cute little monkeys into a barrel.... Yes it's terrible... hurry... the lid is going on an they will all die if you don't come and save them "

And then this was the big finish....

Ta Ddaaa!!!

The upside-down umbrella thingy... all hung with silver baubles revolved around to display the static message...

Merry Christmas!

As the foyer returned to its original state of gloom...

Suddenly the masses watching erupted into a loud round of cheering and clapping... I thought to my self.... Why are these fools clapping and cheering? Its a mechanical presentation... There are no performers... no one to receive the applause for this somewhat dubious presentation. The reset program will kick in in a minute and the cogs will start rolling again to repeat the whole awful extravaganza in a half hours time... Idiots!

"Come on Empress" I said... "After that display I think we could both do with a stiff drink!"... and to my surprise she agreed adding... "It would have been a lot better if they had been giving out complimentary hundred dollar notes"....

And with that we wandered off to find the nearest watering hole....

Which wasn't far given that it was a Casino that we were in after all....

We met up and had a lovely luncheon at the Chinese yum cha with our friends... The food was good as always....

Later we wandered back outside past the happily dancing mechanoids... and into the bright sunshine to appreciate some real talent and art...

A sculptural piece on the promenade...

I don't know what it is meant to represent...

And... I didn't even bother to find out who the artist was but...

but it caught my eye...

It was a welcome relief... and by far.... More impressive than an allegedly

Monday, December 19, 2011

Just the other night while rifling through some of the boxes full of Christmas trinkets and baubles collected over the years ...

I re-discovered my oldest and most favourite of all my decorations....

"My Old Boot"

It is an old "Santa Boot" Christmas ornament... made from cardboard, tulle net, tinsel and glitter....

That I am told... (by a very reliable source... ie The Empress) was originally filled with chocolates and hung to decorate the Christmas tree.

It... like me... has seen many a Christmas and many better days...

Indulge me a moment while I tell you tell you its tale...

"The Old Boot" was given to me by my parents for my very first Christmas in

1962

I hear you gasp as you're thinking.. "Surely Princess can't be that old? She looked so young in that newspaper article the other day... My my he has kept himself well... either that or he's had some work done".

Alright enough!

It wasn't such an Old boot back then but a brand spanking shiny New Boot

Bright red in colour and sprinkled with large glittery sparkles in all different colours. The net around the top was a vivid white and closed with a little drawstring that when closed would allow you to hang it from the tree.

And it was originally full of chocolates, and then every year after that, amazingly Santa would re fill it with "Smarties"* overnight

Over the years the boot would be hung along with all the other decorations and tinsel on the tree. As my younger siblings arrived (me being the eldest of 4) they too had a "Special Ornament" bought for them and also hung on the tree.

My brother, a Golden Glass bird with a tinsel tail. I remember that it wobbled on a spring that clipped on to a branch.

My sister, when she arrived two years later, was given a pale pink fairy that had little net wings and a little magic wand in its hand. It was all hand stitched silk thread and glass bead embroidered.

My youngest brother as I recall claimed most of the tree ornaments as his own. But by that time I was much older and "grown up" so it really didn't matter.

Each year as the family grew my "Santa Boot" would rise higher and higher on the tree... much to my siblings angst. "Why does Princesses old boot always have to go higher than everyone else's?" they would cry..." My Bird / Fairy / Stars should go up higher this year...

Why is he so special"

But our Mother "The Empress" would always respond

"When will you kids realise that each of you are special to your father and I?

That boot... Yes it was bought for Princess the year he was born...

But... that year was also our first Christmas in this house as a family.

The only Christmas decoration that we could afford for the tree that first year was that Santa Boot... We had no money for anything else.Your Dad and I sat and ate the chocolates on the floor by the tree while we took turns at rocking Princess in the pram trying to get the little bugger to go to sleep...

It's because of the memories that that boot holds for your father and I that he always makes sure that the Boot goes to the top of the tree"...

It's not because Princess is any more special than the rest of you!

And that would end the arguments

Years later when I moved out of home.... as she did for all of us... the Empress presented me with a box of Christmas Decorations.Wrapped in tissue paper on the top was "The old Boot"

"But Empress" I said "I can't take that. You keep it please. I know the meaning that it has for you and the memories that it holds."

"No" she said. "It was bought for you... So that is where it belongs... With you... and where ever you go and wherever you are living you will think of me and your father every Christmas"

Like me... the old thing is a bit worse for ware these days. Faded to a pink from it's original red... It has lost more glitter than remains, the netting is ripped and dusty and it sill has the original tinsel twine that Mum added to it about 40 years ago "so as to hang it better on the tree" dangling limply from its side...The little sprig of holly leaves have crackled and peeled in brittle age and a few of the red berries have gone missing in action over time.I noticed this year that it has developed a large split along one side where the sole meets the upper. The poor old thing looks quite sad really.But some of the glitter, despite its age, still manages to sparkle when the light shifts

All in all... It is still my favourite... and I think... still holds its own among the newer and flashier baubles...

And the Empress was right... Every Christmas wherever I have happened to be... as soon as I find the old boot... I hear mum telling the story of She and Dad as newly weds and new parents.... sitting under the Christmas tree eating chocolates and rocking me in the pram, and all the memories of Christmas past come flooding back.

*"Smarties" are our equivalent of M&M's for those of you not familiar with the real thing.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Princess has just returned from a little trip to the awfully unruly and overgrown berry patch!

You may recall that last year I posted about my newly planted

Thornless Blackberry Hybrid .

and Raspberry canes...

Well this is what they look like now...

Rather neglected.... but it is quite amazing the number of little treasures one can find if one looks closely....

Berries...

Berries...

And More Berries....

And these are just some of the fruits of my labour....

Banana Passion Fruit, Raspberries and a basket of Blackberries...

Already... The bounty of goodness has enabled the Empress to bake 2 Blackberry Pies and 2 Raspberry and Custard Flans...

Sadly, the drawback is that she managed to give them away before Princess got a sample...

I'm hoping to at least get a taste of these with some ice-cream and double cream with dinner tonight... That is.... before they get ferreted into the freezer by the Empress as soon as my back is turned!

Too Late! As soon a I took these photos and came down stairs to prepare this post... I heard the empress cackling up stairs...

Its only saving grace was the incredibly elaborate and imaginative sets and fabulously colourful and quirky costume design.

As for the Music and Lyrics...... Could someone please pass me a bucket!

Not one memorable tune out of the lot of them.

At least with "Phantom" having the repetitive theme assaulting your ears through very loud organ pipes all evening at least sent you home humming a tune that you could a) remember and b) recognise if you heard it again

This one... Zilch! I couldn't hum a tune from it if you paid me...

But... at least it was a visual feast for the eyes...

And that.. In my opinion... At least gives it some redemption

But I did however, enjoy with much wonderment and just a little pride in seeing for the first time some of my (now deceased) Great Uncles work in the plaster moulded ceilings and walls that he worked on during the theatre's

construction. You can see some of the works in the video with the review link